Phil O'Gorman's 78 good enough to lead

Irish senior women's open stroke-play

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY IRISH LADIES GOLF UNION
NIONIrish Senior International and home favourite Phil O’Gorman leads the field by one stroke at the Irish Senior Women’s Open Strokeplay at Laytown and Bettystown Golf Club today.
In driving rain and gale force winds, O’Gorman, fresh from International duty at the Senior Europeans in Dun Laoghaire last week, opened strongly but dropped shots at six and seven saw her make the turn at three over par.
The inward journey, hampered by the strong head wind, destroyed most of the field, but O’Gorman’s fine iron play saw her complete the last 5 holes in one under par and take a one stroke lead into tomorrow’s second round.
Next best was Ireland’s Pauline Walsh (Headford) who’s 79 included an impressive birdie three at the difficult fifteenth hole. Canada’s Karen Pultz matched Walsh almost shot for shot to the turn and added a strong birdie at the long twelfth which played a par 6 in the height of the gale. Helen Jones (Strabane), Niamh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire), Alison Murdoch (CAN), Edeltraub Jacob (GER) and Ruth Lindley (ENG) are well in the hunt following 81s while only a fool would right off defending champion Vicki Thomas at this early stage following her 83 after opening with a wretched triple bogey at the first.
The field will play a further 18 holes strokeplay tomorrow Wednesday with the top 40 qualifying for the final 18 holes on Thursday. Following the Championship, the Irish Seniors Team to play at the Seniors Home Internationals at Newport in Wales, 29th September, will be announced. Positions in the side will be determined by ranking in the Order of Merit and wildcard picks selected by Team Captain Roma English (Larne).

FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD

78 Phil O'Gorman (Laytown & Bettystown)
79 Karen Pultz (CAN) Pauline Walsh (Headfort)
81 Alison Murdoch (CAN) Edeltraud Jacob (GER) Helen Jones (Strabane) Niamh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire)Ruth Lindley (ENG)
82 Diane Williams (CAN) Janice Paterson (SCO)
83 Sheena McElroy (Grange) Vicki Thomas (WAL)
84 Mary Madden (Ballinasloe) Mary McGoey (Greenore) Pat Doran (Donabate)
85 Pamela Williamson (SCO)
86 Catherine Reilly (The Heath) Marilyn Henderson (Castlerock) Mary Geaney (Killarney)
87 Ann McAuley (Laytown & Bettystown) Catherine Bird (Nenagh) Jane Gardner (Malone)
88 Deborah Court (CAN) Gill Rouiller (Mannan Castle) Helen O'Donoghue (Clonmel) Mary Kavanagh (New Ross) Val Shannon (Douglas) Valerie Hassett (Ennis)89 Ita Donnelly (Dundalk) Olivia Conroy (Co. Longford)
90 Carol Kinsella (Faithlegg) Linda Ward (CAN) Rhona Brennan (Bandon) Sue Joy-Sobota (USA) Violet McBride (Belvoir Park)
91 Carmel Cahill (Hermitage) Joan McVeigh (Belvoir Park) Maida McGowan (Laytown & Bettystown) Mairead MacNamara (Woodbrook)
92 Adrienne Crowley (Woodbrook)
93 Concepta Maddick (Mannan Castle) Mai McCann (Narin & Portnoo) Patricia McAllister (Laytown & Bettystown) Sue Pidgeon (ENG)
94 Barbara Moysey (CAN) Marie Moran (Monkstown) Roma English (Larne)
95 Barbara Biggart (SCO) Elisabeth Wendels (SWE)96 Rita O'Loughlin (Mannan Castle) Valerie James (Bangor)
97 Mary Lowney (Dunmore)
98 Heidi Simpson (USA) Patsy McCarthy (Grange)
99 Alice O'Neill (Laytown & Bettystown) Judy Clarke (Royal Portrush) Kathleen Pyne (New Ross) Marita Leech (Laytown & Bettystown) Patricia Kelly (Limerick) Sheila Bodmer O'Keefe (SWI)
100 Ann Conway (New Ross) Kitty Duffy (Dundalk)
101 Cornelia Fischer (GER) Marianne Copp (ENG)
102 Finola Duncan (Bangor)
103 Noreen Granard (Portarlington) Sonja Gottschalch (DEN)
104 Gemma Jennings (Navan)
105 Britt-Marie Walltorp (SWE) Rita MacNamara (The Heath)
106 Kathleen Hynes (Ardee)
107 Dinah Campion (The Heritage) Kath Stewart-Moore (Royal Portrush)
108 Una Bready (Belvoir Park)
110 Margaret Boomer (Lisburn) Marie Conlon (The Heath)